The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-24
GOING TO THE QUEEN.
London Cor. \. '. Worid.


 The queen rarely interferes ill the conduct of public business. The af- .fairs of the government are directed by the cabinet. Occasionally the queen desires to talk with the prime minister, and then he is sent to confer with her. She receives him generally at Windsor Castle. The minister al- ways has a special train when sent for by the queen. was in the Padding ton station the other day when the special train for the marquis of Sails bury was there That was q week ago last Sunday. The train consisted of two coaches. The second coach was for the baggage. The special coach represented the very extreme of lux ury and comfort, as understood by English railway carriage builders. It was the wagon often used by the prince of Wales and the queen, for coming and going between Windsor and London. This coach could not compare in comfort with the poorest of our Pullman cars. 1 was in the station some twenty minutes before the arrival of the prime minister, and as the special was right alongside of the platform where I was, l had a good opportunity to examine it at my leisure. The special coach was painted white, with bands of dull brown red. It was divided into four compart- ments. The compartment at the up- per end of the car was shut off from the other portion. This was fitted up | in dull red leather. It was the same style of compartment found in the average English first-class railway coach. It was intended for the ser- wants. Back of this was the saloon compartment, which occupied about half the space of the car. This car | was furnished with an Administer carpet and red leather covered turni- ture. The arrangement of the seats was anything but comfortable. Along each side of the saloon were two great leather sofas, but their backs were so narrow that one could not sit upon them comfortably. The only position of comfort would be found in recin- ing posture. They were very suit able for the purpose of sleep, but if one wished to look out of the window he could not find position in the en- tire saloon where he could sit at ease. At the end of the car, and facing back ward was long, padded, high backed continuous seat, capable of holding four or five people comfortably, but on this seat there were only two places where any one could look out of the window. Just beyond this sa- loon there was a small, narrow wash room, no larger and no better fitted up than those on many of the day coaches on the Pennsylvania railroad. Beyond this lavatory was another compartment, about as large as the one at the opposite end. This had a long leather seat against it's back. Here were the only comfortable seats in the carriage. It's system of venti- lation was as bad as that of the ordi- nary English railway coach. The marquis of Salisbury came down but toned up tightly in black frock coat, carrying a light gray overcoat over arm. He was followed by his two secretaries and man servant. He was preceded by the railway officials, lowing and bending, as if the honor of furnishing train free to so distin- guiShed q person was too great for them to bear. One moment after the prime minister's arrival the train was whisked out of the station and run up ahead of all the regular trains on its way to Windsor